Trousers stretcher



Patented Dec. 2, 1924. 1 v l i UNITED STATES THOMAS JOHN AYLETT, OF RAMSGATE,

TROUSER APPLIANCE COMPANY,

TROUSERS ENGLAND, ASSIGNOR TO STRECHANPRES LN'TED, OF LONDON, ENGLAND.

STRETCHER.

Application led December 10, 1923. Serial No. 679,826.

To all 107mm it may concern.'

Be it known that I, THOMAS JOHN AYLETT, a subject of the King of Great Britain, residing at Ramsgate, Kent, England, have in- 5 vented certain new and useful Improvements in Trousers Stretchers, of which the following is a vspecilication.

This invention relates to trouser stretchers of the kind wherein the garment is stretched over a convex surface.

The object of the present invention is to provide a construction in which the lie of the garment can be observed as the pressing member is applied. Another object is to provide a construction simple to operate, and which takes up a minimum amount of room in operation. A further object is to construct a stretcher in which the pressing mem-i ber is applied lengthwise ofthe garment,

thereby eliminating the possibility of faulty creases being obtained as may occur when a hinged presser is used, the axial line of which is parallel to a longitudinal centrali line of the garment. A still further object is Q5 to4 obtain a progressive application of the pressing member lengthwise of the garment so that the garment may be straightened out as required, while pressure is being applied. and when set cannot be disturbed when final pressure is exerted. Another object is to provide a presser member for the stretcher which can be rolled up when not in use, and a further object is to construct the stretcher to .support the presser when rolled up.

In the acompanying drawings is illustrated a preferred form of the present invention:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of one form of the invention and Fig. 2 a plan thereof;

Fig. 8 shows a method of anchoring the end of the webbing beyond the pressing or conv-ex surface, which will be used in cheaper models than that shown in Figs. 1 and 2g and Figs. 4 and 5 show in front and side elevation respectively a clamping member made as a-single casting.

Referring first to Figs. 1 and 2, the con- Vex part of the press, generally indicated by the numeral 1, may be constructed in any suitable manner. The pressing member is formed of webbing or equivalent flexible material; in the drawings the webbing is indicated by the numeral 2 and preferably,

shown, is in two pieces, spaced apart over the central part of the convex surface 1. The ends of the webbing at one end of the press are anchored to a bar 3, which has a removable face 4, between which and the bar the ends of the strips of webbing 2 are fixed. At each end of the bar 3 is a square pin 5, which is carried in the slotted brackets l'. there being one bracket at each side of the press, the slots, indicated at 8, being of L- shape. The brackets 'l' are also provided with notches 9 shaped to receive square tongues 10 on the clamping roller 11 carried in the slotted brackets 12 at the other end of the press, so that when the clamping member 1() is pulled out of its slot, as it can be when the brackets are in the vertical position hereinafter referred to, the tongues 10 can rest in the notches 9 and the clamping member will then be supported at that end of the press.

ln the construction shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the clamping member is a roller, and therefore in removing it from the press it will be preferable to roll it over the surface 1 so as to neatly take up the webbing before lodging` it in the notches 9 before referred to. That end of the press where the notches 9 are, is rounded off substantially as shown in the drawings, so that the convex surface is continued smoothly past the anchorage bar. At the other end of the press the convex surface is provided with an extension in the form of a roller 13. This roller is fixed on axis pins 14 so that it is rotatable therewith, the axis pins serving also as pivots for the brackets 12 before referred to, to which the brackets are also fixed.

The clamping member 11 will be engaged in the slotted brackets 12 and removed there` from when the latter are in the vertical position, and supposing that they have been engaged in the slots of the brackets 12 and the brackets 12 are moved in the direction of the arrow 15, then it will be clear that the webbing 2 is tensioned over the convex surface 1 in direct proportion to the pressure applied to the brackets. Conveniently, this may be through a bar 16 provided with a grip 17, which connects extensions of the brackets 12 beyond the slotted portions.

To prevent inadvertent reverse rotation of the brackets 12 under tension in the webbing 2, pawls 18 are provided (preferably there is one on each side of the press) to engage in teeth 6 formed on the respective ends of the bracket 12. The pawls, if one on each side is used as shown, are fixed to a rod 19 carryinga cranked arm 20, which in turn is connected to a xed lug 2l by means of a spring,` 22, so that the spring always tends to keep the pawl in engagement with the ratchet teeth f3, the tendency of the brackets to reverse under the tension in the webbing 2 being` counteracted by the proximity of the pivot pins i9 and 14. The pawls 1S may have a thumb piece 23 so that they may be readily disengaged from the rat-chefs of the brackets l2 when desired.

In Fig. 3 a simpler construction is shown in which instead of using the more expensive anchor barsbefore referred to, the webbing is directly .fixed to a reinforced end 24 of theconvex surface l, the reinforcement having asuitable configuration, as indicated. at 25so that the ends of a pair of trousers can beinterposedbetween the webbing' and the part 25, and when the webbing,` has been partly pulled over the convex surface the trousers can be finally adjusted and the clampingii member 1l placed in the brackets 12..to apply the final tension.

Ifit is desired to construct a cheaper press,.the clamping' member ll need not be formed as a complete cylinder, as the only essential is to provide a contact surface which will run smoothly over the said extension, for instance., the construction shown in Figs; 4 and Vi-may be utilized. In this `construction a U-sh'aped bar is cast with a surface 26 of suitable contour, and with tie tongues 10 integral as shown.

,All theessentials of the clamping member .llfare provided in this construction, and aconsiderably cheaper article may be provided'.I

In practice the webbing is rolled back to the brackets 7 and then the garment is laid out Von the convex surface; the webbing is thenunr'ollled over the garment while pulled 4 ttght, first of all clamping the garment between it and the surface and then progressively covering,` the garment until the clamping member can be placed in the brackets 12 When/final tension will be applied to the webbingfres'ulting in a stretching and pressing'. of the. garment between the flexible member comprising,l the webbing strip 2 and theconvex face.

By the .use of the webbing for the tension band, increased stretchingv effect on the trouser is'. obtained, due to some extent to the,v stretching effect on the flexible band alongwith said trouser. and in practice a most effective result is obtained. Iclaimz- Y l. A trouser stretcher comprising a convex supporting surface for a garment, a clampingmember ,at one end of the surface,

'support for removably holding the member capable of beiner swung about the said end of the surface, a flexible member, formed to overlie said surface fixed at one end to the clamping member, and at its other end anchored adiacent the end of the convex surface awaj from the clamping` member, whereby a ygarment laid on the convex surface may be clamped at one end between the flexible member and the surface. tbe flexible member being then laid lengthwise over the lgarment progressively from its anchored end and then placed in tension by operating); the clampingmember so that the garment is stretched and pressed between tbe flexible member and tbe convex surface.

2. A trouser stretcher con'iprisingl' a convex supporting surface for a garment, a frame mounted for a swinging movement at one end of the surface., said frame including a pair of brackets one pivoted on each side of the convex surface and a handle member connecting` the ends of tbe brackets away from the pivots, a clamping' member carried by said frame movable to overlie the garment, a flexible member formed to over lie the convex surface 'fastened by one end to said clar'ipimgr member and fixed at the other end of said convex surface, whereby said overlying` clampingr member may be pressed towards said surface to clamp the Igarment and the frame and clamping membeiA rotated to stretch and press the garment bet een said flexible member and said convex face.

3. A trouser stretcher comprising a convex supportiner surface for a garment, a clampinff member at one end of the surface, a support for removably holding the said member capable of being swung about at `said end of the surface, a flexible member formed to overlie said surface fixed at one end to the clamping member, and the other end fitted to a bar, a bracket at each side of the convex surface at the end away from the clamping member, said brackets being slotted to receive and removably hold the bar against tension applied to the flexible member from the clamping,r member end of the convex surface.

ff. A. trouser stretcher comprising;r a convex supporting surface for the garment, a frame mounted for a swinging: movement at one end of the surface.` said frame including: a pair of brackets one pivoted on each side of the convex surface and a handle member connecting' the ends of the brackets away from the pivots, a clampingr member carried by said frame movable to overlie the garment. a flexible member formed to overlie the convex surface fastened by one end to said clamping' member. and removably fixed at the other end to a bar, a bracket at each side of the convex surface at the end away from the clamping niembensaid last-men tioned brackets being slotted to receive and removably hold the bar against tension applied to the fiexible member from the clamping memberl end of the convex surface.

5. A trouser stretcher comprising a convex supporting surface for the garment, a iframe mounted for a swinging movement at one end of the surface, said frame including a pair of brackets one pivoted on each side of the convex surface and a handle mem ber connecting the ends of the bracket-s away from the pivots, a clamping member carried by said frame movable to overle the garment, a exible member formed to over- ]ie the convex surface fastened by one end to said clamping member, and removably xed at the other end to a. bar, a bracket at each side of the convex surface at the end away from the clamping member, said lastmentioned brackets being slotted to receive and removably hold the bar against tension applied to the' flexible member `from the clamping member end of the convex surface, said brackets also being slotted to form a rest for the clamping member when removed from its supports.

In testimony whereof I aiX my signature.

THOMAS JOHN AYLETT. 

